A Risk Worth Taking
by Wisteria-Blossoms
Summary: This is an Alaraec/ Elestra fic. One Shot maybe two shot please read end note.


**Hi everyone I know I'm supposed to be working on my other story but this came to me and I had to get it out of my head. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

There he was Lord Alaraec Rensaleaus the Marquis of Shevraerth, his long figure casually leaned against a tree. It was a remote area of the illustrious gardens so clearly he was hiding. Lady Elestra felt a twinge of guilt at disrupting his probably rare moment of peace but this was the first time she had seen him without his usual consort of ladies vying for his consideration and young men vying for his patronage.

"Good morning, Lord Alaraec," she greeted in her usual pleasant manner.

"Lady Elestra," nodded the Marquis. He mentally noted that she had not used his nickname Shevraeth but had not been so forward as to call him Alareac. Yet he was in no mood to deal with the machinations ladies today. Nightmares and memories had kept him once more.

Elestra was no twit, though probably only her intimates knew that and if Lord Alaraec didn't wish for her company she would not force herself on him. She would be brief. "Forgive for intruding on you I merely wanted to know if would be able to attend my small gathering this evening."

"I'm afraid not," he replied, "You will have to forgive me."

The lady was unsurprised she had in fact expected his rejection but there was something about his unimpressed tone that burned. She had invited him to a few of her gatherings before but he politely declined in writing each time. It seemed the only times the Marquis ventured out for entertainment was for those hosted by the crown.

It was his new mysterious indifference that intrigued almost everyone along with the wealth and rank. They wanted to uncover his secrets and they tried ardently to no avail. His reply was always a polite refraction which brought about many speculations on what had happened to him during the war.

Elestra had heard that before he'd left he was a vibrant and exciting man. She'd been too young at the time to know. She'd also heard that it was probably his injury that kept him from participating in more activities but this was a lie. She watched from a far and on occasion up close when she'd had the opportunity to dance with him. This man was still very capable. He isolated himself by choice.

The young awaited one of the usual reactions tears, anger, aloofness and the rare attempt to seduce him. She surprised him by not resorting to any of these.

She almost walked away with a 'Some other time perhaps.' But her mind chose that moment to remind her of something her closest friend had told her, 'When you can justify taking a risk there are no regrets.'

"Don't worry, I'm won't stomp my feet at your dismissal. But if you will allow me a brief moment longer, I want you to know that I have chosen to extend my hospitality to you for your benefit _not_ my own," she informed the marquis her voice unaffected.

He merely gestured for her to continue. She could see the amusement in his gray eyes which would have lit her irritation if she'd been unaware of the kinds of manipulations he'd most likely endured.

"I pity you. Whilst the rest of us find comfort in one another as we recover from our losses you seem set on sailing alone on a phantom ship," she resumed with genuine sadness. "I do not know what you blame yourself for but wasting your life away will not compensate for it. That I do know,"

"You'll forgive me but I can't believe that your persistence stems only from charity," he informed her.

"I'll admit I have some curiosities to ask you but nothing that intrudes on your privacy," she confessed. "I know you think this is a play at you but I offer you only my sincere friendship. But If you are convinced on wasting your future I will no longer bother you with my invitations."

"You must really want me to come to your party," he said trying to get a rise out of her.

"I told you what I wanted," she shrugged.

"Alright what's your question," he asked catching her of guard.

She made the mistake of letting her mask slip and show her self-consciousness. Curious the lord made her an offer, "Ask me and I'll attend your gathering."

"Fine I will ask but only because I really want to know," she said warily hiding her hands behind her back. "You see, Lord Alaraec . . . I've never travelled. I'd like to know what the sea like. What are the lands and people like beyond our borders?"

She dared a look at him. He was smiling. "I cannot answer much about people for I mostly encountered naval officers and unfriendlies. I never ventured passed the piers either not that travelled all that far. As for the sea it was… cold and wet."

Elestra felt crushed and extremely juvenile. She tried to hide her immense disappointment behind her indifferent answer, "Cold and wet just as I imagined. Thank you."

She turned to leave but Lord Alaraec wasn't finished, "it smelled of salt. The sunsets were spectacular. As the sun sank into the water I sometimes felt like I was sailing on its surface. When it was calm the waves rock me to sleep. When it was angry my blood would pump so fast that I couldn't discern if I was afraid or just exhilarated. You can never know a night so black or rain like knives, until you find yourself in a terrifyingly beautiful battle against nature. The sea is humbling on all accounts."

Alaraec took advantage of the lady's distraction as he recounted his memories to make a deeper study of her. He already knew she was pretty, well dressed, and a leader among the younger generation. This morning she'd chosen to wear a white gown with gold and emerald embellishments. Her hair was knotted ruthlessly against her head as was the fashion. He imagined it to be rather uncomfortable. On a deeper level he perceived that she was too proud to show her fascination. Something told him that the reason her gaze fell off to the side was because she refused to close her eyes romantically and let her mind wander freely in front of him. Still her lips gently parted and her glittering eyes lost focus as her mind slipped momentarily.

The marquis glanced at those rose lips and smiled inwardly.

Her eyes blinked softly as she realized she had briefly lost herself. She took a breath and looked up at him. "Thank you," she said quietly trying to regain her demeanor, "Good day."

"Good day," replied the lord. "I'll see you this evening."

Elestra nodded, curtsied and walked away leaving Aleraec to stare after her and her tightly secured hair. Perhaps he'd finally found someone worth pursuing.

**So I don't know if this is out of character or not because I don't know these characters that well but I did my best. Also I can't find my copy of my CCD which is why I couldn't write a good description of Elestra. I remember the basics Alaraec looked like Vidanric and Elestra was small and long (brown?) hair. Anyway I'd like to do one more installment to this if you guys are interested and are willing to help me out with elestras descript. Let me know.**


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